Category: 2020

                                        Wednesday, 
U.S. ‘Working’ To Stop Karabakh Fighting
NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- The remains of a rocket shell are seen after recent shelling 
in the town of Martuni, 
The United States has told Turkey and other regional powers to “stay out” of the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as part of its efforts to stop fighting between 
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on 
Wednesday.
“We’ve joined our European partners and, frankly, many countries around the 
world to ask that there be a ceasefire, the beginning of a solution to the 
conflict,” Pompeo told reporters.
“We’ve watched the reporting of civilian deaths,” he said. “We’ve watched Turkey 
begin to reinforce Azerbaijan. We’ve asked every international player to stay 
out of the region, not to continue to reinforce trouble and we’re working to 
deliver that. And we’re using our diplomatic toolkit to try and achieve an 
outcome that gets a … ceasefire and an outcome that is a solution based on 
international law.”
“We’ve done some work that I think increases the likelihood that the objectives 
that I’ve just identified for you actually take place,” added Pompeo.
Pompeo already said last week that “outsiders ought to stay out” of the Karabakh 
conflict. He did not explicitly point the finger at Turkey which strongly 
supports Azerbaijan’s military action.
The United States, Russia and France have long been leading international 
efforts to end the Karabakh conflict through the Minsk Group of the Organization 
for Security Organization in Europe. In the last two weeks they have repeatedly 
issued statements calling for an immediate halt to the war that broke out on 
September 27.
Moscow brokered an Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire agreement on October 10. 
Hostilities in the conflict zone have continued since then, however.
Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, President Donald Trump’s Democratic rival 
in the November 3 presidential election, on Tuesday expressed deep concern over 
the “collapse” of the ceasefire and accused the Trump administration of being 
“largely passive and disengaged.”
“Rather than delegating the diplomacy to Moscow, the administration must get 
more involved, at the highest levels,” Biden said in a statement.
Pompeo said that he briefly discussed the Karabakh escalation with Trump earlier 
on Wednesday. He said that Washington is “paying a great deal of attention” to 
the conflict.
Putin, Erdogan Discuss Karabakh
RUSSIA -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan 
arrive for a news conference following their talks in Moscow, March 5, 2020
President Vladimir Putin reiterated Russia’s concerns about the reported 
deployment of Middle Eastern mercenaries in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone 
and urged Turkey to help stop hostilities there in a phone call with his Turkish 
counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders discussed the Karabakh conflict 
in detail during the conversation that took place “at the initiative of the 
Turkish side.”
It cited Putin as stressing “the urgent need for joint efforts to quickly stop 
the bloodshed and switch to a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh 
problem.” He also expressed hope that Turkey “will make a constructive 
contribution to the de-escalation of the conflict,” said the statement.
The statement said both Putin and Erdogan “confirmed the importance” of the 
conflicting parties’ compliance with an Armenian-Azerbaijani humanitarian 
ceasefire agreement brokered by Moscow on October 10. They also called for the 
resumption of Karabakh peace talks, it added.
Erdogan’s office said the Turkish leader told Putin that his country wants a 
“permanent solution” that would end Armenian “occupation” of Azerbaijani lands.
Fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces has continued despite the 
ceasefire agreement, with each side accusing the other of violating it.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian charged on Tuesday that Azerbaijan is 
continuing military operations along the Karabakh “line of contact” under 
Turkish pressure. He again accused Turkey of instigating the war and deploying 
Turkish military personnel and Syrian mercenaries to Azerbaijan for that purpose.
According to the Kremlin’s readout of the phone call, Putin expressed “serious 
concern over the participation in the hostilities of militants from Middle 
Eastern region.”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu raised the matter with his Turkish 
counterpart Hulusi Akar when they spoke by phone on Monday.
Speaking in Ankara earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan denied reports that Turkey 
recruited and sent allied Syrian fighters to fight in Karabakh on the 
Azerbaijani side. “They have work in their own country, they won’t go there,” he 
claimed.
Moscow implicitly accused Ankara of recruiting “terrorists and mercenaries” from 
Syria and Libya for the Azerbaijani army shortly after the outbreak of the 
ongoing war on September 27. It demanded their immediate withdrawal from the 
region.
The Russian foreign intelligence chief, Sergei Naryshkin, warned on October 6 
that the region could become a “launch pad” for Islamist militants to enter 
Russia.
Moscow Opposes Turkish Role In Karabakh Talks
        • Lusine Musayelian
RUSSIA -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov visits the Dream Island amusement park 
ahead of its upcoming inauguration in Moscow, February 27, 2020
The Kremlin spoke out on Wednesday against Turkey’s possible involvement in 
international efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which have long 
been spearheaded by Russia, France and the United States.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called on Tuesday for a serious 
change in the negotiating format, saying that the three world powers co-heading 
the OSCE Minsk Group have failed to broker an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal.
Kalin said Ankara does not object to what he described as an Azerbaijani 
proposal to hold quadripartite talks on Karabakh involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, 
Russia and Turkey. “Let four of us sit down and discuss what we can do on this 
subject,” he told a Turkish TV channel.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea. “Moscow first and foremost 
proceeds from the fact that during the recent Moscow meeting of the three 
foreign ministers [of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia] all three parties 
reaffirmed the principle of immutability of the negotiating format,” Peskov told 
reporters.
A joint statement issued by the ministers on October 10 said, among other 
things, that Baku and Yerevan “reaffirm that the format of the negotiating 
process is to remain unchanged.”
Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign relations committee of Russia’s 
upper house of parliament, was even more categorical, saying that the 
four-nation talks would have a “destructive” influence on Karabakh peace 
prospects. Kosachev told the RIA Novosti news agency that Turkey fully supports 
Azerbaijan in the conflict and therefore cannot bring any “added value” to the 
mediation efforts.
Armenia has always opposed any Turkish involvement in the Minsk Group process 
for that reason. It says that Turkey is now also directly involved in the war in 
Karabakh that broke out on September 27.
Ankara has voiced strong support for the Azerbaijani military offensive in 
Karabakh. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized this stance earlier 
on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued to lambaste the 
U.S., Russian and French mediators.
“The United States, Russia and France are still putting this off with their 
stalling tactics,” Reuters quoted Erdogan as telling members of his AK Party in 
parliament. “Just give them the occupied lands.”
Erdogan also denied reports that Turkey recruited and sent allied Syrian 
fighters to fight in Karabakh on the Azerbaijani side.
Armenia Vows To Fight On In Karabakh
Armenia -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian addresses the nation, Yerevan, October 
14, 2020.
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are determined to “fight till the end” in the face 
of Azerbaijan’s continuing military offensive, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian said on Wednesday.
Pashinian accused Baku of refusing to abide by a Russian-mediated ceasefire 
agreement with the aim of reconquering Karabakh.
“At this decisive moment, we will not cave in because this is a fateful war for 
our people,” he declared in a televised address to the nation aired on the 18th 
day of large-scale hostilities in and around Karabakh.
“The Armenian people cannot be intimidated, the Armenian people cannot be 
defeated,” he said. “We will fight till the end and that end is called Free and 
Happy Artsakh (Karabakh), Free and Happy Armenia.”
“We must win, we must live, we must make our history, and we are making our 
history,” added Pashinian.
The Armenian premier acknowledged that Azerbaijani forces have made “some” 
territorial gains at northern and southern sections of the frontline since the 
outbreak of the war on September 27. But he insisted that a “blitzkrieg” planned 
by the Azerbaijani and Turkish militaries has failed and that Karabakh’s 
Armenian-backed army is “keeping the overall situation under control.”
NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- Arthur Sahakyan, 63, prays inside the damaged Ghazanchetsots 
(Holy Saviour) Cathedral in Shusha , 
The appeal came as heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces 
continued along the Karabakh “line of contact” despite the ceasefire agreement 
brokered by Russia on October 10. The warring sides continued to accuse each 
other of violating it as Russia and other international mediators made more 
efforts to stop the bloodshed.
Pashinian said that the mediators’ efforts “have not been sufficient to rein in 
the Azerbaijani-Turkish-terrorist alliance.” He charged that Ankara has been 
encouraging Baku to continue the hostilities as part of its “traditional 
genocidal policy towards our people.”
The fighting again spread to Armenia’s international territory early on 
Wednesday as Azerbaijani forces struck Armenian military installations near the 
Azerbaijani border. Baku said its army destroyed Armenian ballistic missile 
systems that were about to attack Azerbaijani civilian areas and infrastructure.
The Defense Ministry in Yerevan denied such intentions and insisted that no 
rockets or gunshots have been fired from Armenian territory “until now.” It said 
that the Armenian military now “reserves the right to target by the same logic 
any military facility or troop movement inside Azerbaijan.”
The Armenian Foreign Ministry likewise stated that Baku’s “provocative actions 
will have irreversible military-political consequences.” It did not elaborate.
AZERBAIJAN -- A man walks amongst the debris of damaged houses two days after 
shelling by Armenian's artillery, Ganja, 
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said later in the day that Russian military 
officials are now “verifying and analyzing the information” about the 
Azerbaijani strikes. Peskov would not be drawn on whether the Russian military 
could intervene or help the Armenian side otherwise.
“Let’s wait for the result of the verification,” the RIA Novosti news agency 
quoted him as saying.
Armenia’s membership in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization 
commits Russia to defending it against foreign aggression.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 7 that Moscow will fulfill its 
defense obligations to Yerevan. He noted at the same time that “the hostilities 
are not being carried out on the territory of Armenia.”
In his televised speech, Pashinian thanked Russia and Putin personally for their 
mediation efforts. “Russia has managed to properly perform its role as a 
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and Armenia’s strategic ally,” he said.
Russia Ready To Deploy ‘Military Observers’ For Karabakh Truce
RUSSIA -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a joint press 
conference with his Armenian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on 
October 12, 2020.
Russia offered to deploy “military observers” in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 
zone on Wednesday as it kept pressing Armenia and Azerbaijan to implement a 
ceasefire agreement brokered by Moscow.
In separate phone calls with his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts reported 
by the Russian Defense Ministry in the morning, Russian Defense Minister Sergei 
Shoigu again called for a halt to hostilities along the Karabakh “line of 
contact” which seemed to be continuing unabated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke, meanwhile, by phone with his 
Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov. Lavrov said afterwards that the warring 
sides should urgently work out a “ceasefire verification mechanism.”
“I reiterated corresponding signals just half an hour ago when I received a 
phone call from Azerbaijan’s foreign minister,” Lavrov told Russian media. “We 
are sending the same signal to our Armenian colleagues as well.”
The deployment of “military observers” in the conflict zone, Lavrov went on, 
should be part of that verification mechanism. “We believe it would be 
absolutely right if they were our observers, but it is up to the parties to make 
a final decision,” he said.
Lavrov chided Turkey for strongly supporting Azerbaijan’s military offensive in 
Karabakh. “We disagree with the position which has been voiced by Turkey and 
which has also been expressed by Azerbaijan’s president for several times. There 
is no secret here, we cannot agree with the statements to the effect that a 
military solution to the conflict is possible and admissible,” he said.
Lavrov insisted that a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict is still 
“possible” despite the large-scale hostilities that broke out on September 27. 
He said it should be based on peace proposals that have long been made by the 
Russian, U.S. and French mediators co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group.
“Their essence is known: a phased liberation of districts around Karabakh while 
observing security guarantees for Karabakh and ensuring a reliable link between 
Armenia and Karabakh until determining the final status of Karabakh,” he said.
Only Change In Turkey's Stance Can Unlock Karabakh Settlement, Says Pashinian
NAGORNO-KARABAKH -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian attends a meeting 
with army commanders in Nagorno-Karabakh, October 6, 2020
(Reuters) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Tuesday he believed 
that only a change in Turkey’s stance on Nagorno-Karabakh could prompt 
Azerbaijan to halt military action over the region.
But, in his first interview since a ceasefire deal was agreed in the conflict 
over Nagorno-Karabakh was agreed in Moscow on Saturday, he gave no indication to 
Reuters that he saw any sign of Ankara shifting its position.
Since fighting flared on September 27, Turkey has backed Azerbaijan strongly and 
said Armenian forces must leave the enclave, which is internationally recognized 
as part of Azerbaijan but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians.
Turkey said on Tuesday it should play a role in international discussions on the 
conflict, something Yerevan opposes. The ceasefire, brokered by Russia, is 
already badly frayed, with both sides accusing the other of attacks and crimes 
against civilians.
Speaking at his official residence, a huge Soviet-era building in the center of 
the Armenian capital Yerevan, Pashinian accused Turkey of sabotaging the 
ceasefire and of trying to muscle its way into the wider South Caucasus region 
to further what he called its expansionist ambitions.
“I’m convinced that for as long as Turkey’s position remains unchanged, 
Azerbaijan will not stop fighting,” Pashinian said.
Azerbaijan says it is open to the temporary humanitarian ceasefire agreed in 
Moscow to exchange prisoners and bodies of those killed in the fighting, but 
accuses Armenian forces of breaching it. Yerevan denies this. Azerbaijan has 
said it envisages further fighting after the truce to capture more territory.
Pashinian said Turkey had stated publicly, before the ceasefire talks, that it 
believed Azerbaijan should keep fighting, and that Turkey’s foreign minister had 
phoned the Azeri foreign minister after the deal.
Pashinian suggested the purpose of the Turkish post-ceasefire call “was really 
an instruction not to dare under any circumstance to stop fighting”.
The Turkish foreign ministry said on the day of the call that the ceasefire 
would not be a lasting solution, and has since said Armenian forces should 
withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Turkey has come to the South Caucasus to continue the policy it is carrying out 
in the Mediterranean against Greece and Cyprus, or in Libya, or in Syria, or in 
Iraq. It is an expansionist policy,” Pashinian said. “And the problem is that 
Armenians in the South Caucasus are the last remaining obstacle on its path to 
implement that expansionist policy.”
The fighting is the worst since a 1991-94 war over the territory that broke out 
as the Soviet Union collapsed. It is being closely watched abroad, partly 
because of its proximity to Azeri energy pipelines to Europe and because of 
fears that Russia and Turkey could be drawn in.
If left unchecked in the region, Pashinian warned that Turkish influence could 
poison the South Caucasus. “The whole of the South Caucasus will become Syria 
and that fire would spread to the north and to the south rapidly,” he said.
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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